Many Overwatch players are recently reporting an problem with their game. They’re experiencing network latency problems or intermittent sudden FPS drops when they’re playing Overwatch.
If you’re also having these issues, you should try the easy fixes below. You may not have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you.
Method 1: Temporarily disable your antivirus software
Your firewall or antivirus software can sometimes cause interference to the network connection of your game. To see if that’s the case for you, temporarily disable your firewall and see if the problem remains. (You may need to consult your firewall documentation for instructions on disabling it.)
If this resolves your problem, you can add your game to the whitelist of your firewall. You can contact the vendor of your firewall and ask them for advice. Or you can install a different antivirus solution.
IMPORTANT: Be extra careful about what sites you visit, what emails you open and what files you download when you have disabled your firewall.
Method 2: Reset your network settings
You can reset your IP and DNS information to resolve any network conflicts that may cause your game lag or latency problems.
To reset your IP and DNS information:
1) Press the Windows logo key on your keyboard and type “cmd”. Then in the list of results, right click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
2) Type “ipconfig /release” and press Enter on your keyboard. Then wait for a reply that tells you your IP address has been released.
3) Type “ipconfig /renew” and press Enter on your keyboard. Then wait for a message that your IP address has been renewed.
4) Type “ipconfig /flushdns” and press Enter on your keyboard. Then wait until Command Prompt tells your DNS cache has been flushed.
5) Close Command Prompt and run your game. Then check to see if this fixes your lag issues.
Hopefully it does. But if not, there are still three solutions you can try…
Method 3: Check for software conflicts
You may get lag or latency issues when other programs are hogging your computer or network resources. So it’s a good idea to check the programs running on your computer.
To do so, press the Ctrl, Shift and Esc keys on your keyboard at the same time to open Task Manager. Then check the the apps or processes in the background and end those you don’t need but are using lots of system resources.
If you want to identify exactly what programs are causing your issues, you may need to perform a clean boot. If this resolves your problems, do some research on the Internet or contact the vendor of your problem software for advice.
Method 4: Update your device drivers
Your Overwatch lag or latency problems may occur because you’re using a wrong device driver or it’s out of date. You should update your drivers to see if that’s the case for you. If you don’t have the time, patience or skills to update your drivers yourself, you can do it automatically with Driver Easy.
Driver Easy will automatically recognize your system and find the correct drivers for it. You don’t need to know exactly what system your computer is running, you don’t need to be troubled by the wrong driver you would be downloading, and you don’t need to worry about making a mistake when installing.
You can update your drivers automatically with either the FREE or the Pro version of Driver Easy. But with the Pro version it takes just 2 steps (and you get full support and a 30-day money back guarantee):
1) Download and install Driver Easy.
2) Run Driver Easy and click the Scan Now button. Driver Easy will then scan your computer and detect any problem drivers.
3) Click the Update button next to each devices to automatically download the correct driver for your computer, then you can manually install it. Or click Update All to automatically download and install the correct version of all the drivers that are missing or out of date on your system (this requires the Pro version – you’ll be prompted to upgrade when you click Update All).
You can do it for free if you like, but it’s partly manual.
If you have any issue with Driver Easy, please contact Driver Easy’s support team at support@drivereasy.com for advice. You should attach the URL of this article so they can help you better.
Method 5: Reset your network devices
You can also fix your Overwatch network issues by re-establishing your connection to the Internet. You can do so by resetting your network devices. Here’s how you can do it:
1) Shut down your computer.
2) Turn off your router or modem, then disconnect the power cables from them.
3) Leave your devices for about 1 minute.
4) Connect the power cables to your devices, then turn them on.
5) Run your game.
We hope one of these fixes works for you! If you have any questions, leave us a comment below.
Jonny, a Microsoft Certified Professional, is a technical writer and technology enthusiast who still fiddles with computers and tech toys in his spare time. He believes technology should bring users satisfaction, not annoyance, so he writes to help people overcome their tech troubles.
2) Type “ipconfig /release” and press Enter on your keyboard. Then wait for a reply that tells you your IP address has been released.
